The BRIT Awards Is Shaking Up Eligibility in Multiple Categories for Its 2026 Ceremony

The BRIT Awards has announced an eligibility shake-up crossed a fig of categories astatine the upcoming 2026 ceremony.

For the archetypal clip successful its astir 50 twelvemonth history, The BRITs volition leave London and volition beryllium held successful Manchester’s Co-op Live arena. The ceremonial volition instrumentality spot connected Feb. 28 astatine the 23,500-capacity venue, which archetypal opened successful 2024. It volition beryllium the archetypal clip the awards person been held extracurricular of London successful its astir five-decade history; from 2011 to 2025, the ceremonial was held astatine The O2 arena successful London.

Ahead of the information process, The BRITs has announced a fig of changes to the eligibility crossed definite categories. The eligibility play runs from Dec. 6, 2024, to Dec. 4, 2025.

The BRITs Rising Star Award volition revert backmost to being called the Critics’ Choice award. The grant was introduced successful 2008 and is voted for by a judging sheet made up of manufacture experts. Previous winners see Adele, Sam Smith, Sam Fender, Ellie Goulding and Florence + The Machine, and the rubric is presently held by Myles Smith.

The grant changed its sanction to Rising Star successful 2020, and recognizes artists who are predicted to marque the biggest interaction connected euphony successful the coming year. To beryllium eligible, artists indispensable not person yet achieved a apical 20 medium oregon much than 1 apical 20 azygous connected the U.K. charts. 

Best caller creator volition alteration its sanction to breakthrough creator and grant British artists arsenic they marque their people connected the industry. The grant was antecedently called British newcomer (1982-2002) and British breakthrough enactment (2003-2019) earlier being called champion caller creator from 2020 to 2025. The class recognizes artists connected their achievements passim the eligibility play and honors musicians with a greater illustration than those of Critics Choice. Recent winners see The Last Dinner Party (2025), RAYE (2024) and Wet Leg (2023).

The BRITs has besides announced a alteration successful the eligibility criteria crossed a fig of categories. Nominees successful creator of the year, planetary creator of the year, radical of the twelvemonth and planetary radical of the twelvemonth volition request to person achieved either a apical 30 medium oregon 2 apical 20 singles connected the Official U.K. charts successful the eligibility period. Previously, artists were considered eligible if they had achieved either 1 apical 40 medium oregon 2 apical 20 singles successful the eligibility period. 

For the Mastercard medium of the twelvemonth prize, the LP indispensable person reached the apical 30 connected the U.K.’s Albums Chart.

In the 5 genre categories for alternative/rock, dance, hip-hop/grime/rap, popular and R&B, the eligibility criteria remains the same, with artists required to person achieved a apical 40 medium oregon azygous connected the Official U.K. charts successful the eligibility period.

Nominees for the BRITs are usually announced successful January and are selected by member...